Circular-knitting machine



(No Model.)

E. R. BR-ANSON.

CIRCULAR KNITTINC MACHINE.

No. 493,575. Patented Mar. 14,1893.

|||||||||||||||||||||| lliulnill lmnnmmm w illlllll'lw" 1 N TTED STATESPATENT erica EDWIN R. BRANSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNIT'TING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,575, dated March14, 1893.

Application tiled June 4,1892. Serial No. 435,477. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concernt Be it known that LEDWIN R. BRANsoN, 'acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Circular- Knitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention has relation to circular-knitting machines and has for itsobject to improve and simplify the construction thereof, to the end thatthe expense of manufacturing the same may be considerably lessened,without detracting from their efficiency and durability.

Myinvention consistsin providing the base of the machine with acam-depression within which is located a cam, the latter being at suchdistance from the edge of the depression as to leave an interveningspace or cam-slot, for the passage of the heels of such of the needlesas are in operation, and provisions which permit of the passage, overthe cam, of the heels of such needles as are raised or out of operation,said cam being of such shape as to permit of the passage of the heels ofthe operating needles through said slot in either direction.

My invention further consists, in combination with the cam aforesaid, inproviding the base of the machine with an annular upward extension, inwhich is located the depression mentioned, Within which theneedle-cylinder rotates and in such relation with said camcylinder thatthe heels of the needles will slide horizontally on the upper edge ortop thereof and be thus maintained in their normal elevated positions;the top of the cam being so located, relatively to the top of theextension, that said cam will cause the deflection of such of the heelsof the needles as are on the extension into and through the slot, forthe purpose above-mentioned, while having provisions to permit of thepassage thereover of the heels of such needles as are raised out ofoperative relation with said extension and cam.

My invention also consists in the provision of a cam-support, outside ofsaid depression, upon which the cam is vertically adjustable, forregulating the length of stitch, said support, also, limiting theadjustability of said cam so as to avoid the closing of the cam-slot tosuch an extent as to prevent the passage of the heels of the needlestherethrough, and the raising of the cam to such height as to preventthe passage of the heels of inoperative or raised needles thereover.

My invention still further consists in the details of construction v'andthe combinations of parts as hereinafter fully described and claimed andas illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a sideelevation of a knitting machine, with the needles removed, having myimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away,of the same, showing the needles in position. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof a detail of the improved machine, and Fig. 4 a similar view of amodifled form of needle. Fig. 5 is a modification of the improved camand its support.

In said drawings, A represents the base of the machine provided withfthelateral eXtension A', for securing to a table or other support andsustaining the usual bobbin-spindles and yarn-guide, neither of whichlatter, however, being shown.

A2 is the shaft-hanger terminating in the box or bearing a2, the latterhaving journaled therein the driving-shaft g, said shaft having securedthereto the bevel-gear E and being provided with the crank II.

A3 represents an upwardly projecting annular extension or iiange,practically a cam-cylinder, preferably cast integral with the base A,having a triangular or substantially V shaped notch or depression cttherein and having its upper edge or top ctsmooth and in a horizontalplane, said extension having its interior bored out smoothly, so as toaiford a bearing for the needle-cylinder C, the latter being providedwith the teeth c, engaging with the teeth fof the bevel-gear F, andhaving adjacent. thereto a peripheral groove for reception of lugs,secured to the under side of the base A, whereby said cylinder issecured in the extension, said lugs and groove not, however', appearingin the drawings.

B is a cam of the same shape as, or similar to, the depression aandprovided with a guideblock or lug b, and D is a plate or retainerprovided with a Vertical slot d, for reception of the lug b, and securedat each end, by the screws CZ', to the extension A3 in such position asto span the depression at the outer side thereof, such plate thusoperating to retain the cam B in the depression a and said slot aordiugvertical movement for said cam, such movement being governed by the impact of the screw or adjusting device LZ2, and the release thereof, onthe block b, the bottom of slot CZ being so disposed, relatively to thebot-A tom of the notch or depression a, as to prevent the cam B fromclosing the space or camslot a2 between it and said depression to suchextent as to bar the passage of the heels e, of the needles E,therethrough, while the top of said slot limits the upward movement ofthe cam, preventing its reaching such a height as to prevent the passageof the heels of raised or inoperative needles thereover. As will beobserved, the plate D has a swell or bulge d3 above the slot OZ,affording a bearing for the screw d2 and engaging with a correspondinggroove ZJ' in the cam B, while said plate is thickened at each side ofslot d, said swell and groove serving to assist in the alignment of thecam and the thickened portions affording better slide-ways for the blockb of the latter.

My invention is not confined to use with a yarn -oarrier of anyparticular character, therefore it is not considered necessary to showor describe the same herein, as any of the ordinary or other suitableforms of carriers may be applied thereto, without departing from thespirit of said invention.

The operation is as follows: The crank H is actuated, through the mediumof the handle Zt, causing therotation of the cylinder C, the heels e ofthe needles which are carried thereby sliding on the top c of theextension A3, whereby said needles receive a horizontal movement and aremaintained in their 'normal elevated positions, until they strike theopposing edge of the cam B, the top of the latter being high enough toprevent the needles, in this position, from passing over the same. Thussaid heels are deliected and caused to pass through the slot a2,effecting the fall and rise of said needles, the latter thereafterregaining their original altitudes on the top of extension A3 andresuming their horizontal movement. The yarn-carrier, (not shown,)meanwhile feeding the yarn at the proper time to the needles. As is wellknown, in order to knit a heel or toe, for instance, it is necessarythat a portion of the needles be raised and out of operation, while therest of the needles are given a reciprocal movement through thecam-slot. In this connection it may be stated that the top of the cam,at all times and regardless of the length of stitch, is low enough topermit of the passage thereover of the heels of such needles as areraised as aforesaid, while the shape of the cam is such as to notinterfere with the passage of the operating needles, in eitherdirection, through said slot.

In lieu of having the cam B and plate D separate each from the other,they may, it' desired, be in rigid relation, as shown in Fig. 5. lnwhich event the plate D may have one end pivoted, as on the screw d4,and the other end swiveled, or otherwise adjustably sustained, on theadjusting screw cZi", the latter engaging with a threaded opening in thelug a3 on the extension or flange A3.

While I have shown and described the use of an annular extension of thebed-plate or base upon the edge of which the heels of the needles restfor the support of the latter in their normal positions, it is quiteobvious that this particular method of su pporting said needles is notnecessary to the operation of the other part of myinvention. In fact,the portion of said extension which lies outside of the dotted lines :cand y may be entirely dispensed with and the extension be only of suchsize as to permit of the location of the notch or recess therein, such,for example, as the portion of the extension A3 which lies inside ofsaid lines and in which is located the notch or recess a. In this event,any desired means may be employed for the support of the needles, forinstance, the latter may be formed like the needle L, in Fig. 4, thesame having a curve Z therein in addition to the usual curve l', theneedles being supported in their normal positions by the coil-band Z2which rests, as shown, in the depression between said curves. On theother hand, when the needles are in their lowermost positions in thecam-slot the coil-band assumes the position shown in dotted lines at Z3,and when said needles are raised for the purpose of placing them out ofoperation, said band assumes the position shown in dotted lines at Z4,the coil-band, at all times, exerting sufficient pressure on the needlesto keep them in their proper positions, at the same time not interferingwith their operation.

WhatI claim as my invention is as follows:

l. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with acam-depression, and a cam in said depression, the space between theedges of the latter and the cam forming a cam-slot for the passage ofthe heels of such needles as are in operation, and provisions to permitof the passage over said cam of the heels of such needles as are out ofoperation, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with acam-depression, and a cam adj ustably sustained in said depression, thespace between the edges of the latter and the cam forming a cam-slot forthe passage of the heels of such needles as are in operation, andprovisions to permit of the passage over said cam of the heels of suchneedles as are out of operation, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with aeamdepression,a support outside of the latter, and a cam in saiddepression and vertically adjustable on IOO IIO

said support, the space between the edges of the depression and the camforming a camslot for the passage of the heels of such needles as are inoperation, and provisions to permit of the passage over said cam of theheels of such needles as are out of operation, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

4. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with acam-depression, a support outside of the latter, and a cam in saiddepression and vertically adjustable on said support, the space betweenVthe edges of the depression and the cam forming a camslot, andprovisions to permit of the passage over said cam of the heels of suchneedles as are out of operation said cam being Vshaped to permit of thepassage ofthe heels of such needles as are in operation through saidslot in either direction, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

5. In a knitting-machine, rthe combination of the base provided with anannular upward extension, a cam-depression in the extension, and a camin the depression,the space between the edges of the latter and the camtorminga cam-slot, the top of said extension being in a horizontal planeso that the heels of the needles will slide thereon and be caused, bysaid cam, to pass through said slot, and provisions to permit of thepassage over the cam of such heels as are raised or out of operativerelation with said extension, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

6. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with anannular upward extension, a cam-depression in the latter, a supportoutside of the depression, a cam in said depression and verticallyadjustable on said support, the space between the edges of the cam anddepression forming a cam-slot, the top of the extension being in ahorizontal plane so that the heels of the needles will slide thereon andbe caused, by said cam, to pass through said slot, and provisions topermit of the passage-thereover of such heels as are raised or out ofoperative relation with said extension, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

7. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with anannular upward extension, a cam-depression in the extension, a supportoutside of the depression, a cam in said depression and verticallyadjustable on said support, the space between the edges of the cam anddepression forming a cam-slot, the top of said extension being in ahorizontal plane so that the heels of the needles will slide thereon andbe caused, by said cam, to pass through said slot, and provisions topermit ofthe passage thereover of such heels as are raised or out ofoperative relation with the extension said cam being V shaped to permitof the passage of the operating needles through the slot in eitherdirection, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

8. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with acam-depression, a plate spanning the latter and provided with a verticalslot, a cam in said depression provided with a lug in said slot, and anadjusting device acting on said lug, the space between the edges of thecam and depression forming a cam-slot for the passage of the heels ofthe needles, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with anupwardly projecting extension, the latter having therein acam-depression, a plate spanning the depression and provided with avertical slot, a cam in said depression having its top above the top ot'the extension and provided with alug 'in said slot, and an adjustingdevice acting on said lug, the space between the edges of the cam anddepression forming a cam-slot for the passage of the heels of theneedles,

substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base provided with anupwardly projecting annular extension having its top in a horizontalplane to permit of the sliding of the heels of the needles on the edgethereof, a cam-depression in said extension, a plate spanning thedepression and provided with a vertical slot, a cam in said depressionhaving its top above the top ot' the extension and provided with a lugin said slot, and an adjusting device acting on said lug, the spacebetween the edges of the cam and depression 'forming a cam-slot for thepassage of said heels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1l. In a knitting-machine, the combination of the base having integraltherewith an upwardly projecting annular extension having its top in ahorizontal plane to permit of the sliding of the heels of the needles onthe edge thereof, a cam-depression in said extension, a plate spanningsaid depression and secured to the extension and provided with avertical slot, a cam in said depression having its top above the top ofsaid extension and provided with a lug in said slot, and an adjustingscrew sustained by said plate and acting on said lug, the space betweenthe edges of the cam and depression forming a cam-slot for the passageoi' said heels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of June,A. D. 1892.

EDWIN R. BRANSON.

Vitnesses:

R. DALE SPARHAWK, WM. I-I. POWELL.

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